NFU opens door to Canada's urban farmers

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
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Thursday, December 9, 2010 | 9:00 AM CST

CBC News

The National Farmers Union has opened its ranks to Canada's urban farmers for the first time.
At its annual convention last week in Saskatoon, the 41-year-old organization formally opened its membership to any Canadian engaged in farming — including city dwellers.

"Young and new farmers are supporting themselves and feeding their communities by producing fruits, vegetables, grains and in some cases livestock on lands within city boundaries," said NFU youth vice-president Paul Slomp, an eastern Ontario livestock farmer.

Earlier this year, farm supporters in Montreal and other Canadian cities lobbied to allow chicken coops in urban areas. And a poll conducted for Vancouver-based City Farmer information exchange found that 44 per cent of people living in Greater Vancouver produce some of their own food. A similar Ipsos-Reid poll found 40 per cent of people in the Greater Toronto Area grow some of their own food.

While there has been burgeoning interest in the development of hydroponic gardens in densely populated North American and European urban environments, there also are producers who operate fairly large tracts of land inside municipal limits, the NFU noted.
"These farmers tend to be well-educated and innovative in their efforts to reclaim unused acreage," said Slomp. "The NFU is very inclusive and our members have diverse operations. It makes sense to include urban farmers in the organization.

"These plots may be small but these skilled farmers use them quite extensively, returning from $5,000 to $10,000 an acre [nearly half a hectare]," said NFU women’s president Joan Brady, who operates an intensive market garden on 1.4 hectares in Huron County, Ont. "Communities are increasingly concerned about planning for their food needs for the future," she said.

"Food production in the cities will act as a buffer to the insecurity of a global food system, well beyond the control of the average Canadian."

The NFU, a lobby group founded in 1969, is a non-partisan organization representing thousands of farm families across Canada.


Read more: CBC News - Saskatchewan - NFU opens door to Canada's urban farmers
 

Trex

Electoral Member
Apr 4, 2007
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Thursday, December 9, 2010 | 9:00 AM CST

CBC News

The National Farmers Union has opened its ranks to Canada's urban farmers for the first time.
At its annual convention last week in Saskatoon, the 41-year-old organization formally opened its membership to any Canadian engaged in farming — including city dwellers.

"Young and new farmers are supporting themselves and feeding their communities by producing fruits, vegetables, grains and in some cases livestock on lands within city boundaries," said NFU youth vice-president Paul Slomp, an eastern Ontario livestock farmer.

Earlier this year, farm supporters in Montreal and other Canadian cities lobbied to allow chicken coops in urban areas. And a poll conducted for Vancouver-based City Farmer information exchange found that 44 per cent of people living in Greater Vancouver produce some of their own food. A similar Ipsos-Reid poll found 40 per cent of people in the Greater Toronto Area grow some of their own food.

While there has been burgeoning interest in the development of hydroponic gardens in densely populated North American and European urban environments, there also are producers who operate fairly large tracts of land inside municipal limits, the NFU noted.
"These farmers tend to be well-educated and innovative in their efforts to reclaim unused acreage," said Slomp. "The NFU is very inclusive and our members have diverse operations. It makes sense to include urban farmers in the organization.

"These plots may be small but these skilled farmers use them quite extensively, returning from $5,000 to $10,000 an acre [nearly half a hectare]," said NFU women’s president Joan Brady, who operates an intensive market garden on 1.4 hectares in Huron County, Ont. "Communities are increasingly concerned about planning for their food needs for the future," she said.

"Food production in the cities will act as a buffer to the insecurity of a global food system, well beyond the control of the average Canadian."

The NFU, a lobby group founded in 1969, is a non-partisan organization representing thousands of farm families across Canada.


Read more: CBC News - Saskatchewan - NFU opens door to Canada's urban farmers
exellent
 

petros

The Central Scrutinizer
Nov 21, 2008
108,893
11,177
113
Low Earth Orbit
It's great even the smallest of producers will have a voice in the lobby and access to NPO funded education in crop managment and development.